Mike Tyson's 'greatest interview ever by a professional athlete' in 2000

Twenty years ago on June 24, 2000 in Hampden Park, Scotland, Mike Tyson delivered the most iconic post-fight interview of all time.

In fact, the interview was so good, one Twitter user has labelled it ‘the greatest interview by a pro athlete.’

With nearly 10,000 retweets and over 36,000 likes, it’s clear to see a lot of people agree with @AuxGod_ as well!

After beating Lou Savarese in just 38 seconds, interviewer Jim Gray asked Iron Mike: ” Was that your shortest fight ever?” which triggered the start of Tyson’s epilogue.

Tyson started off by dedicating the fight to his faith and his recently passed friend Darryl Baum, with the emotion of this death clear through the passion he talks within the interview.

Tyson then gets pumped after the first time saying ‘I’m the best ever’, which he repeats immediately. Nothing like a bit of self belief, but in the sport of boxing, it’s something you simply have to have!

The former champion then proceeded to shout: “I’m the most brutal and vicious, and most ruthless champion there’s ever been. There’s no one can stop me.”

On this day in 2000, Mike Tyson gave us the greatest interview by a pro athletepic.twitter.com/39nZxJsmFT

At the time, many would have agreed.

Tyson then began his comparisons with a reference to the famous war king general of Macedonia Alexander the Great when he asks the rhetorical question: “Lennox is a conqueror? No, I’m Alexander, he’s no Alexander.”

Which Tyson followed with: “I’m the best ever” for a third time in the interview.

Tyson then compared himself to the greats of the boxing past: “I’m Sonny Liston, I’m Jack Dempsey. I’m from their cloth.”

The former champion then finished off the speech in iconic fashion. “My style is impetuous,” which was very true